Tennis star Osaka adds powerful voice to protests over police brutality in US

Two-time Grand Slam tennis champion Naomi Osaka joined a group of athletes condemning the death of an unarmed black man at the hands of Minneapolis police by posting pictures of the protests from the city of Minnesota on her Instagram account.

“Just because it isn’t happening to you doesn’t mean it isn’t happening at all,” wrote Osaka, whose mother is Japanese and whose father is Haitian.

“It’s funny to me that the people who wanna wear chains, blast hip hop in the gym, attempt to get dapped up, and talk in slang are suddenly quiet right now,” added Osaka, the former world number one who was this week touted by Forbes magazine as the highest-paid female athlete in the world with earnings of $37.4 million (34.3 million euros).

It’s funny to me that the people who wanna wear chains, blast hip hop in the gym, attempt to get dapped up, and talk in slang are suddenly quiet right now.

— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) May 30, 2020

Minneapolis, Minnesota, has become the epicenter of violent protests since George Floyd killed there on Monday after police officer Derek Chauvin pinned him to the ground for several minutes by kneeling on his neck.

Chauvin has been charged with murder and negligent manslaughter, but protests across the country have turned violent.

US sports stars attuned to social issues were quick to voice outrage at Floyd’s death. Rising US tennis star Coco Gauff applauded Osaka’s Instagram’s post on
Saturday.

Bridgett Floyd on the police killing of her brother, #GeorgeFloyd: “I would like for those officers to be charged with murder because that’s exactly what they did. They murdered my brother.” pic.twitter.com/zg8RwmxHsS

— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) May 27, 2020